The Chilean government has shaken up the National Fishing Service (SERNAPESCA) to bring the once booming salmon industry in order. The government body has taken all responsibility for overseeing all fishing activity in the country. SERNAPESCA chief veterinarian Inés Montalva was under intense pressure in recent months for poor handling of the current salmon industry crisis.
The government now has replaced Montalva with Felix Inostroza Cortes, an engineer with an MBA who launched his public service career during the early years of the Augusto Pinochet dictatorship. Salmon industry ahs welcomed the government step of appointing Cortes as the head of the SERNAPESCA.
The members of the Congress have said that the government has done little to prevent salmon companies from abusing its workers and ruining the environment. Socialist party Deputy Fidel Espinoza told that the SERNAPESCA director didn’t even come close to showing the kind of impartiality the people require of the government authorities. According to him Montalva made decisions that absolutely favored the salmon companies and which were detrimental to local fishermen.
Environmental NGO Ecoceanos has closely watched the change in SERNAPESCA leadership and hoping that Felix Inostroza Cortés will be more forthcoming than his predecessor when it comes to sharing information about the salmon industry and other fishing activities. Juan Carlos Cardenas, director Ecoceanos, said that the organization will be going to continue pressuring SERNAPESCA to be more transparent in the way it works.
